Applying some games and techniques in language focus to develop students communication skills at vinh loc high school

1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale of choosing the theme Today learning English is very important because it is the only language that truly links the whole world together English may not be the most spoken language in the world, but it is the official language in a large number of countries It is estimated that the number of people in the world that use in English to communicate on a regular basis is billion English is the dominant business language and it has become almost a necessity for people to use English if they are to enter a global workforce, research from all over the world shows that cross-border business communication is most often conducted in English Its importance in the global market place therefore cannot be understated, learning English really can change people’s life Many of the world’s top films, books and music are published and produced in English Therefore by learning English you will have access to a great wealth of entertainment and will be able to have a greater cultural understanding Most of the content produced on the internet is in English So knowing English will allow people to access an incredible amount of information which may not be otherwise available! In addition, English is one of the most popular languages, used by many different countries in the world The English language curriculum developed in the context of communication, language knowledge (phonetics, grammar, vocabulary) is a necessary tool for developing and developing communication skills Forming communication skills is the ultimate goal of the teaching process Throughout the years of innovation in high school English teaching, most of our teachers have explored and have had a certain amount of experience in active teaching English During the teaching and observation sessions of my colleagues, I noticed that most of the students were initially interested in and actively learning the skills, especially reading skills However, they are very discouraged in using the language knowledge that the teacher introduced in the practice Whereas the purpose of the exercise is to enable students to use language knowledge correctly, that language knowledge becomes a necessary means of forming and developing communication skills Language Focus is developed to reinforce and develop students' language competencies, to train to summarize or refine the language focus introduced in the skills classes Therefore, students should practice how they can develop communication skills through Language Focus Many teachers still require students to practice language focus (especial grammar) in the Language focus lesson by: Doing exercises in the textbook then on the board record the answer and correct the error As the reality shows often cause a tedious, boring, not conducive environment for learning Therefore, teachers need to understand the intentions, requirements and objectives of each lesson, each item so that one can teach the right side of the lesson, on the other hand can use the textbook creatively Suitable for students With the help of the Principe, the contributions of my colleagues, the search through the media, I applied "some games and techniques for practicing structure" to teach in the Language focus and to some extent obtained relatively positive results, students use better language They not think that language training is boring or impractical anymore, whereas it is very exciting, proactive, positive, and effective in learning That motivates their learning motivation Help them enjoy learning English more and use language knowledge to communicate 1.2 The aims of the study The application of "some games and techniques for practicing structure" in the language focus to develop communication skills for students 1.3 The objective of study - Applying the language focus practice section for students at classes 12C11, 12C12 1.4 The methods of study - Observation method (via observation time) - Method of summarizing experience - Experimental methodology - Mathematical statistical methods 1.5 New points of experience innovation Applying "some games and teaching techniques for practicing structure " as: *Picture Drill * Word cue drill *Lucky number *Substitution Boxes * Noughts and Crosses *Pelmanism - Use the techniques of substitution *Basic substitution *Single-word prompts *Picture promts *Free substitution - Presenting the structure implicitly 2 DEVEPOPMENT 2.1 Set the problem 2.1.1 theoretical basic Implementing Resolution No.40/2000/Tenth National Assembly; Directive No 14/2001 / CT-TT of the Prime Minister on renewing the program of general education.Instruction No 40-CTTW on June 15, 2004 by the secretariat on building and improving the quality of teachers and educational administrators, from 2006 to 2007 school year, Ministry of Education and Training The general education program, promulgated by the Minister of Education and Training 16/2006 / Decision Ministry of Education and Training on June 5, 2006, states: "It is necessary to bring positive and creative play to students’ learning activities, It is suitable with the characteristics of subjects, characteristics of students, conditions of each class; Self-study method, ability to cooperate; practice skills to apply knowledge into practice; Affect emotions, bring joy, excitement and responsibility to students In general education, English is built in the direction of communication Forming communication skills is the ultimate goal of the teaching process; Language knowledge such as phonetics, grammar, vocabulary introduced in the Language focus course is seen as a necessary means to form and develop communication skills, not the ultimate goal of the process study Moreover, teaching instead of taking "Teaching" centered on taking "Learning" at the center In the organizational approach, the learner - the object of the "teaching" activity and the subject of the "learning" activity - is attracted to the learning activities organized and directed by the teacher, through It explores what is unclear, not yet passively absorbing the knowledge that has been arranged by the teacher That is why teachers need to understand the intentions, requirements, goals of each lesson, each item so that one can teach the right part of the lesson, on the other boldly and creatively in the design of the exercises Both the right focus of the article, while attracting active students, actively participate in the process of training language knowledge Students can then apply that knowledge into the process of communication Activities will make the classroom noisier, but noisy 2.1.2 Actual situation This form of communication skills is the ultimate goal of the teaching process Language knowledge is the means by which language skills are developed and developed, and the linguistic knowledge is introduced in the language So how can we teach and learn the linguistic knowledge, especially the following? When introducing grammar knowledge, how should students practice to enable them to use them in specific communication situations in order to meet the goals of the instructional process? A Language Focus section of the English-language textbook (Basic-CTE) is conducted as following diagram Pronunciation Language Focus Presentation Controlled pratice Grammar Practice Free practice Production A Language Focus within 45 minutes, the practice only takes about 15 to 20 minutes Usually, many teachers, after the introductory stage, still require students to practice their language focus (especially grammar) in the Language focus lesson by: Doing the exercises in the textbook and then on the board record the pay Words and fixes Example UNIT : HIGHER EDUCATION Period: 34- Part E : Language focus (conditional sentences) (English textbook 12 basic) After introducing the formula of Conditional sentences: Conditional sentences type 1:If + S + V/V(s/es) ., S+ will/ can + V(bare inf) Conditional sentences type 2:If + S + V(past simple) ,S+ would/could+ V(bare inf) Conditional sentences type 3:If + S + V(past perfect) ,S+ would/could have+ V(pp) The teacher guides students to practice the structure within 15 to 20 minutes * If you practice in a traditional method, it will look like this * The teacher asks the students to the following exercises (pages 59-61 English textbook 12 basic): Exercise 1: Complete the sentences using conditional sentence type 1.If you fail the GCSE examihnation, You won’t be able to get into the examination room if If you don’t send the application form on time, If you don’t have a referece letter, 5.Unless you show your identify card, Exercise 2:Express these situation using conditional sentence type She doesn’t have a car She doesn’t go out in the evening Sarah doesn’t study hard She hates school I can’t the test It is too difficult Peter doesn’t read alot He can’t find the time I can’t translate this I don’t speak Korean They don’t travel far alot They are afraid of flying Exercise 3:complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets If you had sent the application on time , they might .(call) you for an interview I can’t understand why you din’t 2.If John( install) an alarm, the thieves wouldn’t have broken into his house I make a film with him if I had been a famous director, but I was not If you had told me earlier, I( give) it to you We would have sent you a Christmas card if we(have) your address With the traditional practice of the above, I find that: - Students often exercises in the form of coping, dependence, sometimes too much abuse of reference books makes children lazy thinking, not creative - The classy, boring classroom atmosphere leads to students who are not interested in active teaching - They not know how to use their linguistic knowledge to express their communication in real life situations in order to serve their lives Therefore, the formation and development of communication skills for children are difficult 2.2 Solve the problem To overcome the limitations of traditional practice, this type of exercise does not meet the communication goal of teaching English Because linguistic knowledge is seen as a means, not a means of communication Is the ultimate destination of the learning process So in order for students to develop communication skills in Language Focus, I have applied "Some games and teaching techniques for practicing structure " to design appropriate exercises that help students to practice Language knowledge, both developed communication skills The application of "some games and teaching techniques for practicing structure " to teach language training for the Language Focus course in basic English textbooks Using games and teaching techniques in the practice will attract all students to participate in the exercises, students will learn more actively, more active, classroom atmosphere is no longer tedious and tense, bored again The diagram shows that the language training step consists of two parts: The first part of the training section is a controlled practice The trick most commonly used here is drills In this section students learn through repetition, copying to form habits This step is very short, only about minutes Some of the techniques that I usually use in my teaching process *Picture Drill * Word cue drill The second part of the exercise is free practice: In this section, students use suggested words to form structured sentences, or homework assignments Preparatory or in the textbook, in the form of groups or pairs Teachers come in groups to help them Here are some games that I usually use in my teaching process *Lucky number *Substitution Boxes * Noughts and Crosses *Pelmanism In general, the purpose of the training step is to help students utilize new language knowledge accurately, through a process that goes from the practice of guided practice to free practice You can transport Use the knowledge learned in specific situations to form and develop communication skills for students Based on the games, teachers can design exercises that match the content of each lesson, each student object Here are some examples I have used in teaching at Vinh Loc High School Illustration Example UNIT 1: HOME LIFE and UNIT 2: CULTURAL Period :7 + 12 – Part E : Language Focus ( Review of tense) ( 12th grade english basic) 1.1 Use the technique Word cue drill - The teacher prepares about verbs: listen go play watch - Teacher gets axamples and gets the class to repeat Example: go T: I went to the cinema last night Sts: I went to the cinema last night T: I was going to the cinema at oclock last night Sts: I was going to the cinema at oclock last night - Students give sentences to other verbs 1.2 Use the techniques of substitution - Teacher gives prompts ( a sentence, a phrase, a word or a picture) and gets the students to give examples - For examples about the present continuous tense with the following techniques 1.2.1 Basic substitution - T gives verbs : see/ drink/ write/ cook and Sts practice with these verbs ex: T: seeing a film Ss: I am seeing a film T: drinking beer Sts: I am drinking beer T: writing a letter Ss: I am writing a letter 1.2.2 Single-word prompts ex: T: a letter Ss: I am writing a letter T: a song Ss: I am singing a song 1.2.3 Picture promts The teacher shows the class a picture and gets them to say the example ex: The teacher shows students picture and stusents will say:They are playing football T continues showing picture 2,3 students will say: They are waching TV/ He is cutting the grass 1.2.4 free substitution The students make up their own sentences using the structure learnt ex: I am driving a car 1.3 Use the game substitution boxes - Teacher on board a frame box filled with words - The words in the box are matched together to form many sentences that the verb is divided into different places Example: Mary is washing the dishes now washes all day wash I read often go Every fishing will next sweep the house the dishes been washed am Week Mary is now Washing and Peter are Had a book(s) reading - Teachers divide the class into or groups (depending on the number of students in the class to divide the group) Groups discuss each other: Use words in the box to put together sentences (as many sentences as possible) One word can be used multiple times The teacher then asks the two teams to write their discussion results up on the board for a certain time (eg, within minutes) The group members turn to write - The group that writes the most correct sentences is the winning team =>Possible sentences: * The present simple tense : * The present continuous tense: -Peter and Mary wash the dishes every day - They are washing the dishes - Peter and Mary often go fishing every week -Peter goes finging everyday - Peter is washing the dishes -Mary washes the dishes every day -I am reading books - Peter often washes the dishes - Mary is reading a book now -Peter goes finging everyday -They sweep the house every day - Peter often sweeps the house ,………etc * The past perfect tense: * The future simple tense: -Peter had swept the house -Peter will go fishing next week -Peter and Mai had washed the dishes - They will read books -They had read books - I will sweep the house -I had swept the house,…etc -Mary will sweep the house…etc * The present perfect continuous tense : - Peter has been going fishing all day - They have been reading books all day - I have been sweeping the house.,etc Illustration Example UNIT 5: HIGHER EDUCATION Period: 34 - Part E: Language focus ( conditional sentences ) (12th grade English basic) 2.1 Using Picture drill: - The teacher prepares a number of paintings and vocabulary related to conditional types 1,2,3 If / I/ be/ a bird, I/ fly / everywhere If/ it/ be/ fine/ tomorrow/, they/ go swimming , If/ they/ study/ hard,/ they/ pass/ the exam/ last year If/ I/ know/ Korean, I/ translate/ this document If/ he/ get up/ early yesterday/ he/ not/ go/ to school late If/ you/ not/ show/ your identify card, you/ not/ get into/ the examination exam - Teacher introduces picture by picture quickly - The teacher gives a picture to the class If / I/ be/ a bird, I/ fly / everywhere - Teacher reads aloud sample (2 times): If I were a bird, I would fly everwhere - The student asks the students to read sample sentences times - Teacher asks 2-3 students to read sample sentences - The teacher continues the steps with the other pictures: If/ it/ be/ fine/ tomorrow/, they/ go swimming If it is fine tomorrow, they will go swimming - Students work in pairs to make sentences with the remaining paintings (Teacher hangs the remaining paintings up on the board) *Suggested answers: 1.If it is fine tomorrow, they will go swimming 2.If I were a bird, I would fly everwhere If They had studied hard, they would have passed the axam last year If he had got early yesterday, he wouldn’t have gone to school late If I knew Korean, I could translate this document If you not show your identify card, you won’t be able to get into the examination exam 2.2 Use the Pelmanism game - The teacher prepares 10 cards with cover (or paper) + On the one hand the teacher hits numbers 1-10 On the other hand, the teacher writes the propositions of conditional types 1,2,3 (From conditional clause 1-5, clause 6-10) 10 If we had had your address, If you don’t send the application form on time, If the test weren’t too difficult, You won’t be able to take the entrance examination The thieves wouldn’t have broken into the house We would have sent you a Christmas card If you don’t show identify card, You won’t be able to get into the examination room If John had installed an alarm, 10 I could it - Teachers paste the cards on the board (1-5 stickers on one side, 6-10 on one side), showing students the numbered face - Divide the class into two groups A and B - In turn, each group chooses two numbers (some in columns 1-5, some in columns 6-10) - Flip the two student cards selected If they match, the group will get points (the teacher asks the students to explain why they match) For example * groups A choose two number : * Students flip two cards with two matching clauses: If we had had your address, We would have sent you a Christmas card * These two clauses match together into one conditional sentence type * So group A will get one point - Flip the two selected cards, if they not match, then overturn the same and not score (teacher asked the students explain why not match) For example: * Group B chooses two numbers: and * Students flip two cards with two matching clauses: If the test weren’t too difficult, You won’t be able to take the entrance examination 11 * These two clauses not match (because the conditional verb is divided in the form of the third conditional, the verb of the main clause being divided in the form of the first conditional These two clauses are not synonymous) * Turn cards face down, and group B does not score -Continue the game until all the cards are overturned - Which team more points than the winning team *Suggested answers: 1- 2-6 - 10 4- 5-7 Illustration Example UNIT : SCHOOL EDUCATION SYSTEM Period : 28 - Part E : Language focus ( passive voice ) ( English textbook 12 basic) * I will teach passive voice in the following ways 3.1 Presenting the passive voice implicitly T: Today I am going to teach you about active and passive voice sentences I will you some examples to help you understand this For instance, we can say “The child broke the window.” (active) or “ The window was broken by the child.”( passive) or simply “ The window was broken” T axplains examples then asks: Can you see any other differences between the sentences? Sts: Yes, the second sentence has the word “by” in it T: Good Any other differences? Sts: The second and third sentences have “was” but the first one doesn’t T: Yes, Now , here are a couple more examples of active and passive sentences Active: The man beat the dog Passive: The dog was beaten by the man Active: My mother gave me thid book Passive: This book was given to me by my mother Teacher says: Here is another active sentence Try to change it into passive “ The boy caught the ball.” 3.2 Use the game Noughts and Crosses - Introducing the formula of passive voice: Be + V(pp) - Prepairing some pictures( pictures) and drawing squares on the board, with each square is a picture( with the average student, the teacher should provide them with suggestions) Ex: 12 Flowers/ water/ everyday The house/ build/ in 2010 3.The floor/ not/ clean/ yet the house/ paint/ now English/ will/ speak/at the conference 6.Football /play/ now 7.Shakespea’stragedies/ translate/8.A new primary / just build/in my village into many languages 13 9.“Remeo and juliet / write/ in 1605 - Teacher makes a sample sentence using any picture in the squares: Flowers are watered everyday The teacher divides the students into two groups: one group is Noughts (O) and one group is Crosses (X) - The teacher gives the members of each group a discussion of the pictures about minutes Then, the two groups select the pictures in the box, passing the sentence in passive form with the verb short - The group that makes the right choice will get an "O" or an "X" for example one * Noughts group choose the picture five: the house/ paint/ now Students make the sentence: “ The house is being painted now ” 14 * So the Noughts (O) get a O O X Group Crosses ( X) Pick the picture three English/ will/ speak/ at the conference Students make the sentence: => English will be spoken at the conference * So the group Crosses ( X ) gets one X - The groups continue to select pictures and set sentences - A team with three "O" or three "X" on a horizontal, vertical or diagonal line wins *Suggested answers: Flowers are watered everyday The house was built in 2010 The floor hasn’t cleaned yet The house is being painted now English will be spoken at the conference Football is being played now Shakespear’s tragedies have been translated into many languages A new primary has just been built in my family 9.“Remeo and juliet”was written in 160 * Sometimes I use the other games as: “lucky number” to teach in some of my lessons, I realized that these lessons used the games are very interesting, students like to learn and more active, more exciting class atmosphere 15 2.3 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION UP to now, I have applied "Some games and teaching techniques for practicing structure" to teach in the Language focus with point "Learning to play" Play to learn "and obtained relatively satisfactory results in school year:2018-2019 at the class 12C11 and 12C12 The result after applying the research in teaching Class 12C11 (41hs) Before using games in writing After using games in writing skill skill Excellent Good Fair Poor Excellent good Fair poor (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) (%) 2hs 5% sts 12C12 (39hs) 8sts 20% 7sts 18% 12sts 19sts 29% 46% 15sts 17sts 38% 44% 7sts 12sts 19sts 3sts 17% 29% 47% 7% 4sts 13sts 17sts 5sts 10% 33% 44% 13% Through the research, I noticed that: * Students change their attitudes toward learning the language (especially grammar) They are very excited because they have been learning, playing, arguing comfortably, without pressure, and are highly effective * From a picture, real objects students can put a lot of different sentences Therefore, it will promote students' initiative and creativity to their linguistic knowledge * Exercises are associated with real objects and pictures, which help them to connect with reality better so that they can apply their grammatical knowledge to communicate the contents of the communication Specific situations in study and in real life to serve life Forms of group training, pairs (integrated in games, techniques) help children practice more, make use of time; Teach children how to learn from each other; Encourage the students to say, the shy children have the confidence to voice their opinions CONCLUSION In conclusion, using games and teaching techniques are efficient ways to teach English in the classroom These ways I get the best results in the classroom they arise students’ motivation Games prepare students for life and they acquire positive social attitudes Games teach sharing, helping each other and working as a team A student learns by doing, living, trying and imitating So this kind of learning is lasting During games, some feelings such as the pleasure of winning and the ambition of losing may arise These give to the 16 teacher an idea about student’s character So games are must-have activities for hardworking teachers Above are some of my small experiences drawn in the teaching process, the topic may be limited I look forward to the comments of colleagues and superiors The Headmaster’s identification Thanh Hoa, the twenty-fifth of May, 2019 I ensure that this study has been written by me The writer Vu Thi Ha 17 ... 2.3 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION UP to now, I have applied "Some games and teaching techniques for practicing structure" to teach in the Language focus with point "Learning to play" Play to learn "and. .. the Minister of Education and Training 16/2006 / Decision Ministry of Education and Training on June 5, 2006, states: "It is necessary to bring positive and creative play to students? ?? learning... develop communication skills in Language Focus, I have applied "Some games and teaching techniques for practicing structure " to design appropriate exercises that help students to practice Language